The world is up for another challenge, and no, I am not talking about a pandemic but Energy Crisis that is burning millions like you and me. While several pieces of advice have been strolling on the internet lately, their accuracy is still in question. To solve this, I am sharing 18 actionable and proven ways to save energy at home in 2023.
So let’s start before the battery of your cell dies, or am I exaggerating that?
Anyways here’s what you all need to know.
18 Ways To Save Energy In 2023.
1. Cover Up Your Windows to Decrease Dependency on Air Conditioner.
On average, an air conditioner may consume 3,000 watts of electricity per hour. To save ourselves from expenditures and our batteries from draining rapidly, we should avoid its usage as much as possible. One of the ways for us to do that is using a window cover to block external heat from entering our room and maintaining the temperature cool inside.
In addition, use exhaust to let the heat find its way out.
2. Turn Off Unnecessary Lights and Appliances.
Lighting accounts for 15% of typical residential electricity consumption, and while it is a necessary utility, keeping it on for no reason can be a mistake. So it is the demand of the hour or your save energy at home campaign to keep a tab on electricity wastage through unnecessary lights and appliances.
3. Natural Lights Can Lower Your Energy Usage.
Honestly, I hate LED lights in my room. I feel like a ghost under them. Therefore, my dependence is more on natural light through my window. A single LED bulb can consume seven to ten watts of energy per hour consider- cutting its usage for at least 5 hours a day. And I am not saying to live in dark instead, use your windows to lighten the environment.
If you need more convincing, natural light can increase productivity, uplift mood, and more that I will need to study a report for (so please do it now).
And if you are doing it, give a thought to using mirrors and lighter room colours for better exposure.
4. Unplug Unused Electronics.
I already turned them off. Why do I need to unplug them? Read this to change your thoughts- Standby power used by old appliances can be as much as ten to fifteen watts per device.
Sure it is small, but size doesn’t matter (that’s what she said).
5. Renewable Energy Is the New Way to Save Energy at Home.
Sustainability is expensive but not an option. When we talk of saving energy, renewable energy should be part of it. An average solar panel user can cut as much as 45% of energy reliance on the grid. Additionally, it is found that a renewable source emits 50g or less of CO2 emissions per kWh over their lifetime, compared to about 1000 g CO2/kWh for coal and 475g CO2/kWh for natural gas.
6. Upgrade Your Home Insulation.
Home insulation helps to resist heat flow and lower heating and cooling costs. It can reduce 10% of the energy bills of a household annually.
To learn more about it and the materials, I am attaching a link to this guide you can visit later (of course, you have to read this article first).
7. Efficient Refrigeration System Is a Great Start to Save Energy at Home.
Keeping your food supplies fresh is only possible through a refrigerator, and while we often ignore the operating temperature of this appliance, it is recommended not to.
A domestic refrigerator consumes between 100 to 250 watts of electricity per day. While we cannot exclude it from our energy bills until we go off-grid or use a clay refrigerator like this, it can reduce a little if paid attention.
- To begin, set the temperature between 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Allow a few inches of room between the wall and refrigerator (while keeping the coils clean if it is an older model).
- Make sure the refrigerator is not exposed to direct sunlight or kept close to a dishwasher or oven (an appliance that transmits heat).
- Note if the door seals are airtight and if not, replace them.
- Do not open doors for longer durations.
- If you have an older model, defrost the freezer as soon as the ice layer thickens about 1/2 inches.
That’s all about the current refrigerator, but if you are getting a new one, read this study to pick the most efficient one and save electricity.
8. Upgrade Your Hvac System ASAP.
HVAC means heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system that comforts occupants of a residential or commercial area. To save energy at home (as they consume 25 to 33% of the total energy), you must keep track of their maintenance as these consist of vents and various openings where there can be minor cracks or mechanical faults which can decrease their efficiency.
To learn more about increasing its efficiency, head to this step-by-step guide.
9. Fix the Faucets and Broken Taps to Save Water and Energy.
While working on energy conservation, one of the crucial aspects many ignore is water. According to a calculation, it takes approximately 456W of energy per hour to heat water to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, while; maintaining the temperature and supply can account for 15% of our total energy expenditure. And to add a note, we can bring in a small deduction by fixing broken taps and leakages.
You can also consider changing them with controlled faucets that let us modify the water flow as required.
10. Take Advantage of the Topography.
You can always leverage topography to cool down the space and save energy at home. To do that, surround your home with plants, possibly trees and take advantage of the shade. The fresh breeze will help you reduce the temperature inside, and a careful implementation can be responsible for up to 25% of the energy reduction.
Additionally, you should use grass instead of tiles around the perimeter to lessen the solar reflectance.
Similarly, shelter your terrace and balcony area with more and more plants to intensify the technique. One of the ways is to take use of Biophilic design.
11. Track Your Consumption and Efficiency.
As much as tracking failed on my ex, it works just as great to save energy at home. Firstly, to do it, you will need to install Smart meters. They will allow you to have better control over your appliances as it optimizes them for peruse rather than using them irrationally. Additionally, Smart meters track down your energy production and exact usage, further helping you save electricity by removing and cutting unuseful resources off supply.
Another technique is installing smart strips or smart sockets to keep energy-hungry appliances in check and conserve energy.
These have several advantages, one of which is to detect and cut the power supply when a device is on standby.
12. Check on Your Kitchen Energy Input.
Cooking accounts for up to 5% of our energy consumption, and I am not saying to quit everything and go vegan, but we can make subtle changes. The first and foremost is to clay pots whenever possible as they tend to absorb heat more than our regular cooking pots, and therefore, it takes less time and gas to cook food. You should also check on your kitchen appliances and fix broken seals so that they don’t require more energy than they need to function.
13. Be Particular About What You Wear.
Dressing is one of the tasks we pay attention to the most, but not how we really need to. I know it sounds off-topic but let me explain.
Depending upon the seasons, we need to dress what we are comfortable in and can wear both outside and inside. Making this a habit will not only help us reduce our carbon footprint but also keep our heaters or air conditioners from working hard to comfort us.
14. Install Lights Sufficiently.
It is one of the ways to save electricity- little at once but considerable collectively. Most of the lights in our home have similar output and are not suitable for each space.
By installing lights sufficiently- I am emphasizing power usage, which should never exceed the area requirements. You can install a motion sensor (if going big on a budget) to automatically switch off the light when not needed.
15. Use Ceiling Fans, Not Just AC.
But that sounds like decreasing energy conservation, using two appliances at the same time. Yes, it might, but most people don’t consider that fans help circulate warm or cool air, preventing the over-consumption of ACs.
16. On-Time Maintenance of Your Electrical Devices.
It may sound like an additional lot on this list but on-time service of your electrical devices can save you from many hurdles while improving their energy efficiency and life, which can save both energy and you from an early replacement of the product (also, this will lower the carbon footprint).
17. Regulate Your Use of the Washing Machine.
According to energy saving trust, you can save as much as £28 or $27 by using washing machines carefully. Follow the steps to achieve the same:
- Avoid repeat washing of heavily soiled items by presoaking them.
- Set the temperature of your washing machine to 30 degrees instead of a higher temperature cycle.
- Reduce your washing machine usage to a day per week.
- Use the energy-saving features of your washing machine (if it has them).
- Avoid using a dryer for your clothes, and take advantage of the weather whenever possible.
18. Avoid Taking Long Baths.
I know it is best to relax in a long-duration shower or a bathtub but knowing that a regular bath can consume 7.2 MJ or 1.94 kWh energy, I will advise minimizing the usage by just a little to save energy at home for a longer-term impact.
Closing.
After reading these points, it might appear like a lot of changes that may take some time to adapt but stop treating them like tasks and bring in a sense of carefulness, as that is what they are.
Let me know which of these ways you are going to follow instantly and if you have better ways to save energy at home to a greater extent.
